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Weekly Q&A: My ten year old is becoming a TV addict
Q. My ten year old son is becoming a real TV addict. He can just watch hours of TV, whether it is soaps, films or game shows. We are really worried that he is spending less time with friends or in physical activity (he is putting on weight). We try to encourage him away from the couch but he always finds his way back. Are we right to be worried? He gives no trouble apart from this.
A. The short answer is that you are right to be worried. Though there can be a lot of valuable education and good entertainment on TV, excessive and uncontrolled TV viewing can be harmful, fostering passivity and physical inactivity in children, reducing time spent on learning and social activities and exposing children to violence and other unhelpful viewing.
However as you say, TV viewing is addictive and it is easy to build up an unhelpful habit over time (like your son has), and like any habit it can take time to break it. But your involvement is critical in helping him. Sit down and have a chat with him (with the TV off!) and discuss your concerns. Agree a rule with him about a reasonable amount of TV he can watch in a day and the favourite programmes he can watch. (this can of course vary at weekends). Don’t just focus on ‘No TV’, also help your son identify other activities he can do instead: sports, meeting friends, reading, play or other activities. The key is help your son build new helpful habits and not to be simply dependent on TV.
If you want to be successful, you have to be prepared to model this good behaviour. Be prepared to turn off the TV during mealtimes inviting conversation instead. Also, get involved in healthy activities yourself with your son: Perhaps you can arrange to go swimming together or to a football match. Pick something healthy that your son likes to do and try to encourage this good habit by being there with him, using the time as an opportunity to connect with him.
You have to remember to be patient, it can take time to break a habit and to learn a new one. Encourage your son with any small positive steps he makes, but also be prepared to enforce TV viewing rules (insisting your son keeps to the agreed times).
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